Report says 'red-light cameras' have reduced crashes

From the beginning, the city's SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs have met with controversy and resistance. But a newly released report shows that the programs, which began in 2007, have reduced crashes at monitored intersections and have brought revenues to the city's coffers.

And the new contract with Redflex, the company that runs the program, will provide monitors at four new locations and will deploy two more speed vans by 2016.

We believe that SafeLight and SafeSpeed, the so-called "red-light cameras" and "speed vans" have proven their effectiveness, and monitoring four more intersections will make the city streets a little safer.

Like many, we have mixed feelings about the fact that the programs are administered by a private company, which shares in the money collected from fines. But the programs would not have been possible otherwise, said Dee Stanley, chief administrative officer for Lafayette Consolidated Government. Redflex provides technology and equipment that the city could not easily duplicate on its own, he said.

Let's look at the facts and figures.

The report released by LCG's Traffic and Transportation Department compares data at monitored intersections for the three years before and the three years after traffic control devices were installed. According to the report, there has been a 64 percent reduction in overall crashes at those intersections. There were 357 crashes before monitoring and only 130 since the devices were put in place.

In spite of predictions by opponents of "red-light cameras" that rear-end crashes would increase because motorists would slam on their brakes in an attempt to stop, those types of accidents actually decreased by 80 percent, from 142 to 26.

That is an impressive drop.

Also impressive is the amount of money the programs have brought to LCG.

More than 77,000 red-light violations at $125 each and 326,000 speeding violations at $25 each have totaled $12.4 million, with $6.8 million of that going to LCG in a 55-45 split.

The new agreement with Redflex gives LCG 60 percent to Redflex's 40 percent of money collected in fines.

Some of that money is put back into the program, Stanley said, and the remainder helps to pay the salaries of Lafayette Police Department officers in the traffic division.

There would be even more money coming in, but a total of 6,460 red-light violations issued since 2009 remain unpaid for a total of $895,000, together with 10,500 speeding violations totaling $1.2 million.

While traffic camera and speed van violations are not criminal offenses, they are civil violations that can be pursued in court. And changes were recently made to the programs that will make it easier for LCG attorney Mike Hebert to do that. The plan is to target drivers who have racked up $125 worth of SafeLight or SafeSpeed violations in the past three years.

But there may be a second chance for those who have been ignoring their tickets, Stanley said.

The Traffic and Transportation Department is considering offering an amnesty period during which drivers who have outstanding violations may come forward and pay them without incurring the usual penalties for late payment.

And that sounds like a good deal for them - no time lost in court and no extra cash out of pocket.

Despite the initial suspicion of the programs and a 2009 attempt to rescind them, the SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs have worked the way they were intended.

They have made drivers more cautious when approaching intersections - at least certain ones - and they have made the streets of the city a little safer for those who travel them.

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Report says 'red-light cameras' have reduced crashes

From the beginning, the city's SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs have met with controversy and resistance. But a newly released report shows that the programs, which began in 2007, have reduced